The present invention relates to a multi-function electronic horn warning system.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-function electronic horn warning system especially suitable to be applied on motor-vehicles provided with an xe2x80x9cintelligentxe2x80x9d electronic unit or onboard computer, intended for alarm signals in general.
As is known, nearly all modern automobiles, trucks or the like that are available on the market today are equipped with acoustic or visual warning devices operative to alert others of a user""s activation and/or deactivation of specific safety devices. It is also known that acoustic devices are designed, at present, with only one type of acoustic emission having only one duration, only one frequency, and only one sound level. They are mounted on vehicles during their construction and the one-tone acoustic signal the vehicles emit is indistinctly utilized for several types of signals, such as the signal associated with the opening/closing of doors, the activation/deactivation of anti-theft alarm systems and the like.
Additionally, the same acoustic devices are also adopted, for the same functions, by one or more manufacturers.
It is evident from the above that the one-tone signals emitted by said devices, though being effective for the first primary function of signaling irregular conditions, may be misinterpreted by users in two ways. First, in establishing what specific type of signal the intervention refers to among those that are submitted to the control circuit, and second, in establishing what vehicle said signals come from.
Document WO 94/26555 describes a multi-sound horn system comprising a sound select circuit and a group of pulse generators used to drive the horns. Each pulse generator is associated with a particular event, such as the change of status of the vehicle alarm, for producing a preselected sound.
An object of the present invention is to obviate the above drawbacks.
More particularly, an object of the present invention is to provide a horn warning system operative to identify to the type of signals each intervention refers to, and what type of vehicle said signals come from.
In accordance with the present invention, a multi function electronic warning system is provided.
Other objectives will become clear in view of the following description wherein a multi-function electronic horn warning system comprises a couple of horns, having related power stages, and a microprocessor which is integrated are an electronic module, which further includes a voltage adjuster, an oscillator, a control circuit and said power stages.
The horns are activated by a push-button on the steering wheel for the traditional function of the acoustic signal, otherwise they are controlled by a codified signal transmitted to the microprocessor by the xe2x80x9cintelligentxe2x80x9d electronic unit or onboard computer, for emitting the buzzer function.
Depending on the type of codified signal transmitted by the electric system of the vehicle, the electronic module generates sequential sounds, having programmable duration, frequency and sound levels.
Programming is done according to specifications of vehicle manufacturers, but consumers may be allowed to modify the program such that personalization of the acoustic signals related to the automatic-centralized closing and opening of doors and hoods, the activation and deactivation of anti-theft alarm systems, safety belts, switched on lights, obstacles in backing, or any other signal that allows the user to perceive a state of the vehicle may be programmed.
The acoustic signals emitted by the multi-function electronic horn warning system of the present invention can be programmed and personalized relative to duration, frequency and sound level, and their programming may be made either by vehicle manufacturers or the users.
The advantages achieved by the multi-function electronic horn warning system of the present invention lie essentially in that each model of vehicle marketed may be provided with a personalized and distinctive acoustic signal, with regard to other models of the same and/or other manufacturers. Additionally, each user can adjust, according to a personalized codification, the signals being emitted by the means mounted on his own vehicle(s), to distinguish the emitted signals from those emitted by vehicles of other users.